It is not accidental that Prophet Musa (alihi salam) is mentioned 124 times in the Holy Qura’an and his story is mentioned in more than 30 chapters of the Glorious Qura’an. So much so that a scholar once noted that ‘the whole Qura’an was just about to become the story of Musa (alihi salam)’. The Lord of heavens and the
earth, The Almighty and the All-wise knew that the ummah (nation) of Muhammad (alihi salatu wassalam) will run into similar conditions and thus as an act of mercy He (azza wa jal) laid down the off shoots of guidance afore time so that those who reflect on His signs might be guided.
And here we stand today, after over 1400 years since the Noble Qura’an was revealed facing the same challenges as were faced by Prophet Musa (alihi salam) and the believers of that time. Today the world is ruled by those people who are criminals inside and bankrupt in terms of sincerity and honesty. Those who don’t mind massacring thousands of innocents just to ensure that they remain in power and those who think that the wealth and blood of others is purely lawful for them, regimes which are oppressive in nature and people who are tyrannical in though. A mirror image of these barbaric regimes was Fira’un (Pharaoh) who ruled Egypt at the time of Prophet Musa (alihi salam).
The astrologers had informed Fira’un about the birth of a child amongst Banu Israel (Children of Israel) who would topple his throne and end his rule. Fira’un, a person who can go to any extent so as to safeguard his rule ordered the execution of all new born male children of Banu Israel. And thus the streets of Egypt became wet with blood of innocents and the river Nile became red. Fira’un can indeed kill all children but can’t kill the one whom Allah (azza wa jal) protects and chooses to topple his throne. And thus history saw that the person who grew up to end the rule of Fira’un grew up in the palace of Fira’un. Fira’un couldn’t see a Prophet in the kid who grew under the very shade of his throne; he couldn’t see his throne tumbling and crashing at the hands of this boy, for verily worldly pleasures, riches and the love of authority had blinded him.
When Prophet Musa (alihi salam) came to Fira’un with clear sign from his Lord, Fira’un out rightly rejected them. Instead he increased in his oppression and tyranny. At this time when the believers found it difficult enough to reconcile residing under the rule of Fira’un and practising the Deen (Law and codes) of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), they were commanded to start gathering at one place and migrate from Egypt. As such the whole of Banu Israel along with Musa (alihi salam) and other believers of that time gathered together at one place and the migration was now on the row, Fira’un became furious. He couldn’t see his work men (Banu Israel) leaving him, and that it was a matter of dignity for him. He ordered a high level meeting and said that ‘these are but a small band of people’, nevertheless he mobilised his entire army to stop Banu Israel from leaving Egypt. (That sounds familiar, the world today recognizes Islamic fundamentalists, as they say it, as a small band of people yet high level meetings are organized to discuss these people and all military units and think tanks are mobilized to ‘tackle’ them physically and Psychologically)
Prophet Musa (alihi salam) along with Banu Israel left Egypt in the darkness of night and Fira’un along with his entire army began the chase in the early morning. It is a long time gap; nevertheless Fira’un was able to catch up Banu Israel because he had better means of transport than Banu Israel. The people of Banu Israel began to speed up their travel as they were now clearly seeing the dust in the sky which was raised up by the marching army of Fira’un. While the run-chase show was going on, Red sea came in between as a barrier. Banu Israel were now on the banks on red sea, Fira’un is behind them, just moments away, but they can’t do anything now, Red sea has halted and crippled them.
‘You can see now the one who is so hurriedly rushing towards you, the one who has oppressed you for years, and the one from whom you are running away. He won’t accept your apology, you for sure are going to meet a dreadful punishment at his hands, you have tore off his law, migrated without his permission and have believed in Prophet Musa (alihi salam) and here now you stand in between the devil and the deep sea.’ While these thoughts were lingering the minds of most of the people of Banu Israel, Prophet Musa (alihi salam) along with the other righteous believers kept their cool, they knew if the rope tightens too much it snaps. They knew that they were being tested and they had a firm belief that the end belongs to the believers.
Fira’un saw the whole of Banu Israel, so helpless and so feeble and weak; Red sea did the job for him. He rubbed his hands, ‘I have got them’, and now he can inflict upon the believers the worst possible punishment. A person he was, who saw with the external eyes only, a person who kept Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) out of the equation, little did he know that his deemed helper, the Red sea, is waiting to flood him and his army. Little did he know that this supreme might and power will crumble at the very moment when it is rejoicing and boasting about its great strength.
At this time when all the worldly doors of rescue and help got closed, at this moment when people were calculating the measure of punishment they would receive, and at this moment when nothing seemed to avail, a point of time which if placed today before the professors of Harvard and IIMs would be described as a moment of failure for Banu Israel and victory of Fira’un. “Musa (alihi salam), it was so insane on your part to lock your horns against the mighty emperor, it was so un-wise to challenge the laws and might of Fira’un, it was so silly to stand up as an outlaw in the face of a super power. Couldn’t you see that you are but a weak person, without any resources and help? Couldn’t you see that the people in your support are weak and feeble; couldn’t you see that you have no riches and power? And couldn’t you comprehend the might of Fira’un; couldn’t you see his great army and great weaponry? Musa (alihi salam) you have wronged yourself and now see Fira’un is over your head and his sword is at your throat. Ah! So un-wise on your part to act the way you acted”, this would have been the response and a comment of our intellectuals of today if they were watching that scene at that time. But the Almighty gave mankind a lesson to remember and reflect upon, and so at this point of time when nothing seemed to avail, the breeze stopped, the noise ceased, the colour of the sky changed, the birds got silent, animals looked up, something strange was going to happen; Behold, the Lord of Musa (alihi salam) commanded him to strike the bank of sea with his stick. But that is only a stick, and this action will create nothing but ripples in water, professors of Harvard beware! Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) gives power to what so ever he wills and see the sea has split! The Red sea has split! And a wind has passed on the sea bottom and made it all dry. You can see the two sides of sea standing like mountains and a pass in between them. The help of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has come, the doors of materialism have been shattered forever, those who sincerely believe shall remember this throughout their life, they won’t get deluded by the physical dimensions, rather they will introspect deep down the lines of history. For them is victory, for them is success and for them lies the eternal reward.
Banu Israel, all the faithful believers and Musa (alihi salam) have crossed the sea now, Fira’un is seeing all this and instead of falling down in prostration and proclaiming that ‘I believe in the Lord of Musa (alihi salam)’, he continued his chase, he was indeed a blind person, one who couldn’t see the sign of Allah (azza wa jal) even when they are manifestly clear. When Musa (alihi salam) crossed the sea and he noticed that Fira’un is thinking of doing the same, he began striking his stick with the bank again, hoping that the two ends of sea will meet, something which can definitely stop Fira’un from crossing the sea. Nay Musa (alihi salam)! it is not your stick that has split the sea, it the Lord of the heavens and the earth who actually has, so it is He himself who will close it whenever He wishes for indeed he has decided to teach the whole of mankind a lesson. Fira’un began crossing the sea through the same route and when he was in the middle with his entire army, Allah (azza wa jal) brought the sea together, Fira’un along with his entire army drowned. At that moment when Fira’un saw his death approaching, he proclaimed, ‘I believe in the Lord of Musa (alihi salam)’ but it was too late. Had he done the same earlier the story might have been different. And thus a lesson was established for all people, of all nations, and of all ages that those who reject the signs of their Lord and keep His Majesty out of the equation in their dealings and in their thoughts then they will meet a terrible punishment and those who sincerely believe in Him, remember Him and reflect upon His signs, He (subhanahu wa ta’la) is enough for them as a guide and as a protector.
History is repeating itself; the whole world is converging against Islam and Muslims. So at this point we should know where do we stand, are we on the wrong side of fence with those people of whom Fira’un is a mirror image and those who view everything through the prism of matter and power or are we on the right side of fence with those people of whom Prophet Musa (alihi salam) and the righteous believers of that time are a mirror image, those who trust Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), those who reflect upon his signs, and those who have stood up against the current world order as outlaws? History is repeating itself, pages of history are turning over, are we patient enough to bear the burden of fear, hunger and oppression, are we steadfast enough, are we faithful enough, history asks us, because it wants to know, when the birds will stop chirping, when the wind will come to a halt and when the animals will look up in the sky, where will we be; at the other side of sea with Musa (alihi salam) or in the midst of sea with Fira’un.